My daily life with the LORD

1 Corinthians 1& 2 – God’s sovereignty || ministry? – how to witness

We often think that we have to convert people, that we have to convince them of the truth. But this is wrong. The recurring theme in these chapters is that we aren’t supposed to convert people through rhetorics; instead, we are supposed to be witnesses of the Cross!

“For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.” (v. 1:17)

“And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” (v. 2:1.2 & 3.4)

These two verses clearly warn us from resorting to eloquence, or rhetorics, or wisdom, or whatever you want to call it. We should not try to convince people of the truth; that’s what human, earthly religions do. But what else should we do?

“Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.” (.v 2:12-16)

As you can see, our job is not of convincing. If we can convince people of something, then it isn’t the gospel! If we can convince people of something, we are teaching a different God than we should! For our Lord can’t be recognised or understood by people.
You see, this is why doctrine is important. It really, really is. Because what I just told you doesn’t make any sense if you don’t believe in the sovereignty of God. I mean, how are we supposed to minister if the only thing they understand is false?

You really do need to believe in God’s sovereignty to spread the gospel in God’s way.
Our job is to be witnesses! Testis, non orator. We aren’t supposed to convert. we witness the cross through scripture, through the Spirit, and if it is God’s will, he will give understanding and repentance to a person trough the Holy Spirit. God saves. We don’t. If we try to do it, we take the glory that is rightly his! “Lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.”

“And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”” (v. 1:30-31)

We are saved because of God. Now let’s talk about it! And if, in his infinite wisdom, the Lord wishes so, he will save the person we are talking to.